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Artistic protest against BP artistic greenwashing

Art collective Liberate Tate (liberatetate.org) has installed a massive 16.5 metre (40 foot), one and a half tonne wind turbine blade in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall Saturday (7 July 2012) submitting the artwork to be part of Tate’s permanent collection.

The artwork, called ‘The Gift’, was installed in an unofficial performance involving over 100 members of the group that has become internationally renowned for artworks aimed at ending the relationship of Tate and other national cultural institutions with oil companies.

An art collective installed a 12-metre, one-and-a-half tonne wind turbine blade in Tate Modern‘s Turbine Hall on Saturday, submitting it to be part of the Tate’s permanent collection.

The artwork, called The Gift, was installed in an unofficial performance involving over 100 members of the Liberate Tate group, which calls for an end to the relationship between Tate and other national cultural institutions with oil companies such as BP.

Liberate Tate member Sharon Palmer said the group created the artwork using an “icon of renewable energy with an express wish that Tate will have the courage to take leadership in addressing the threat of catastrophic climate change and end its relationship with BP.”

Engaging with oil companies on climate change is futile, admits leading UK environmentalist. After years working on sustainability projects with BP and Shell, Jonathon Porritt says he came to the conclusion it was ‘impossible’ for today’s oil and gas companies to adapt to the need to exit fossil fuels: here.

Oil companies’ sponsorship of the arts ‘is cynical PR strategy’. Campaigner says attempts by oil companies such as BP and Shell to ‘artwash’ their image are done simply to gain prestige and nullify local protests: here.